These chicken lettuce wraps contain ground chicken and veggies cooked in a savory sauce and served in cool lettuce leaves. A PF Chang’s copycat recipe that’s super easy to make and tastes just as good as the restaurant version!
I can never resist ordering chicken lettuce cups when I see them on the appetizer menu at my favorite Asian restaurant. They’re flavorful, yet light enough to be the perfect start to the meal. Serve your lettuce wraps with other Asian style favorites such as vegetable lo mein and potstickers.
If you’re all about a quick and delicious lunch or dinner, these chicken lettuce wraps are quite satisfying. Made with light and healthy ground chicken, PF Chang’s lettuce wraps are even great for a party appetizer. Plus, they’re easy as can be which makes them even better!
Chicken Lettuce Wraps Ingredients
This recipe is made with ground chicken, mushrooms, vegetable oil, onions, sesame oil, lettuce, hoisin sauce, water chestnuts, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, soy sauce, rice vinegar and green onions.
How do you make chicken lettuce wraps?
Place the vegetable oil in a large pan, then add the chicken. Cook the chicken and season it with salt and pepper. Next, add the mushrooms and onions to the pan, and cook until the veggies are tender. Stir in water chestnuts, garlic and ginger. Make the sauce by whisking together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Pour the sauce into the chicken mixture, and stir to combine. Add a sprinkle of green onions, then spoon the chicken mixture into lettuce leaves and serve immediately.
Tips for the perfect dish
- Hoisin sauce is a sweet and savory sauce that can be found in the ethnic foods aisle of most grocery stores. It is a critical flavor component of this dish and there is not a great substitute.
- I find that shiitake mushrooms give this recipe the most authentic flavor. You can also use diced button mushrooms if that is what you have on hand.
- Choose ground chicken that is 96% lean for the best results.
- The leftover chicken mixture will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store it separate from the lettuce.
Recipe FAQs
When I serve this dish as a meal, I often do a side of steamed white rice. Asian style noodles would also be a great choice. You can also serve your lettuce cups alongside other Asian inspired appetizers such as egg rolls or wontons.
I recommend using butter lettuce for wraps, as it has a sweet mild flavor and the leaves are naturally rounded into cups to hold all that great filling. Iceberg and romaine lettuce are other great options. For a more vibrantly colored dish, try red leaf lettuce.
It’s important to make sure your lettuce is very dry before you make your wraps. If the lettuce is wet, the moisture can make the filling soggy. I recommend using a salad spinner to get all the water off your lettuce. You should also only fill your lettuce cups at the last second right before eating, because they can get soggy if they sit for an extended period of time.
Flavor Variations
While this recipe is fabulous as-is, you can change up the ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: You can use ground turkey or ground beef instead of chicken. If you’re a seafood lover, try using coarsely chopped shrimp.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add other veggies to the mix such as shredded carrot, finely diced zucchini or chopped bell peppers.
- Toppings: Finish your lettuce wraps with fun toppings such as sesame seeds, wonton strips, or crispy rice noodles.
I love how easy these chicken lettuce wraps are to make. I’ve served them at get togethers before and they always go over extremely well. I think people really enjoy a delicious yet healthier option when it comes to parties.
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Chicken Lettuce Wraps Video
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 5 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems discarded, caps finely diced
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- 8 ounce can water chestnuts drained and finely diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- salt and pepper to taste
- 5 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/3 cup sliced green onions
- 1 head butter lettuce leaves separated
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until mostly cooked through.
- Add the mushrooms and onion to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
- Stir in the water chestnuts, garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 more minute.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil.
- Pour the sauce over the ground chicken mixture and toss to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle the green onions over the chicken mixture.
- Spoon the chicken into the lettuce leaves and serve.
Notes
- Hoisin sauce is a sweet and savory sauce that can be found in the ethnic foods aisle of most grocery stores. It is a critical flavor component of this dish and there is not a great substitute.
- I find that shiitake mushrooms give this recipe the most authentic flavor. You can also use diced button mushrooms if that is what you have on hand.
- Choose ground chicken that is 96% lean for the best results.
AndreaIB says
Amazing flavourful and quick weeknight recipe.
nio says
So… I didn’t make the lettuce wraps. I used the sauce in a stuffed chicken/zucchini recipe, and it was *excellent!* I am now telling my friends to make the (5 tsp Hoisin sauce, 2 tsp of a. Sesame Oil b. Rice vinegar c. soy sauce) and put it on all kinds of stuff. Be sure to cook the main ingredient (chicken, zucchini, etc) w Garlic and Ginger to get the full flavor. Thanks “Dinner at the Zoo!.”
Cindy says
Hello! I’ve been making this recipe for some time now. Today I didn’t have any ground chicken so I defrosted 2 lbs of chicken breasts half way, then cut them into little pieces. I made a double batch because the filling is amazing in an Asian chopped salad as well. Thank you for sharing it. I added a squirt of sriracha and some red pepper flakes. It’s fantastic!
Betsy Kim says
I have been on a ground chicken kit lately. It’s actually cheaper to buy than ground beef, go figure. Anyway I search for a recipe and this one came up. So happy I tried it, it was delicious and can’t wait to make it again. I didn’t have mushrooms on hand (I love them, kids don’t), but I did throw in some chopped celery. Will put this in our rotation for sure!
Laila says
Hi. Is it 2 or 3 wraps per serve?
Sara says
It really depends on the size of your lettuce pieces!
Lysa says
Made this for dinner and immediately my husband goes, “This tastes just like PF Chang’s!” Spot on!
Vicki says
Can I use chicken breast and chop it? Or use ground beef?
Sara says
Chopped chicken is fine or ground turkey, I’m not sure how it would taste with ground beef.
Lorraine Casey says
Just made this recipe only one word can describe this dish WOW, sooooo delicious: This dish I’m sure will be
a weekly occurrence, my husband was amazed how good it was. We live in, Inland Spain & have no Chinese take away, so all your Asian recipes are becoming very very popular in our household. Thank you so very much for sharing your amazing recipes.
Samona mejia says
Easy and super delicious!
Judy says
Any ideas on how I could make this vegetarian for my granddaughter? Thank you.
Dana Abney says
Maybe try cauliflower instead of chicken
Eso says
I would try diced tofu!
Jill says
Replace Chocken with Tofu
Gregory Fontaine says
What brand of hoisin sauce do you use? I was just wondering because there are so many different types and I’m sure the flavors vary a little bit.
Sara says
I use Lee Kum Kee!
Christina says
I’ve been making these weekly and we love it!
Brittany L says
These were great! Very delicious!
I changed up the quantity of ingredients in the sauce a little bit. But I don’t think that made a difference in the deliciousness of this recipe 🙂,
Natalie says
There is no need to try any other chicken lettuce wrap recipe. This is the one!! We LOVE these things. This recipe is perfect!! Thank you so much!!
Vicki says
Just made theses lettuce wraps and they were amazing! Served with peanut sauce!
This recipe is better than P F Changs!!
Thank you for sharing !
Iw says
Great and easy, I used turkey and also some teriyaki sauce
Katie C says
This is the easiest and best chicken lettuce wrap recipe! My kids LOVED them, and that’s saying a lot. I think it was the first time my 5- and 7-yr-old said “YUM” throughout the entire meal. Thank you for the great recipe!
hayley says
These are SO GOOD!!! Probably better than what I usually get from the restaurant! I am making them for the 2nd time tonight and doubling the recipe. It really goes far!
Flo says
I always have to double the recipe as they are so amazing my family inhales them!
Ariel says
Quick question on the serving size and calories? Is a serving 1 wrap for 300 cal or is it 4 wraps for 300 cal?
Thanks!
Sara says
Each serving is 2 wraps!